Concrete-block-molding machine.



J. W. BRAGSTAD.

CONCRETE BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1908.

Patented M3128, 1910.

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J. W. BRAGSTAD.

CONCRETE BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 28, 1908.

Patented Mar. 8,1919.

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J. W. BRAGSTAD.

CONCRETE BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 190B. 951 &3 Patented M21118, 1910.

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@iomeyd TINTTF JOSEPH W. BRAGSTAD, OF CANTON, SOUTH DAKOTA.

CONCRETE-BLOCK-MOLDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

Application filed November 28, 1908. Serial No. 464,810.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. BRAGSTAD, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Canton, in the county of Lincoln and State ofSouth Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inConcrete-Block-Molding Machines, of which the following is aspecification, ref erence being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to concrete block molding machines and has forits object to provide a machine of such class in a manner as hereinafterset forth, for molding what may be termed a sectional block having acontinuous air space, with the sections of the block spaced from eachother and connected together by one or more continuous anchors.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of such classwith means in a manner as hereinafter set forth whereby the continuousanchor or anchors can be readily positioned and retained in suchposition during the molding of the block, said anchor or anchors whenthe block sections harden holding the sections together.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a concrete block moldingmachine which shall be simple in its construction, strong, durable,eflicient in its use, conveniently operated, readily set up, andinexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists ofthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawingswherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is tobe understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resortedto which come within the scope of the claims hereunto ap- 4: is alongitudinal section with the core lowcred and the end walls of themolds shifted from the ends of the block. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectionon line 5-5, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail broken away of thecore and an end wall. Fig. 7 is a sectional plan broken away of the coreand an end wall, and Fig. 8 is a top plan of one form of a sectionalblock made with a machine in accordance with this invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the machine comprises a basesupported upon uprights 3 and consisting of longitudinally extendingmembers 1 and horizontally extending members 2, the said members beingformed integral or connected together in any suitable manner. Each ofthe members 1 at one end is provided with a laterally extending flange4t which constitutes means for connecting the carriers for the end wallsof the mold to the base. The carriers are indicated generally by thereference characters A, B, and each consists of a vertically extendingplate 5 which is fixed to an end wall of the mold and formed integralwith the plate 5 is a pair of downwardly extending inclined arms 6 whichat their lowered terminus are formed integral with longitudinallyextending arms 7 mounted upon the members 1 and shiftable thereon. Thelongitudinally extending arms 7 are formed integral with the plate 5 anddepending from each of said arms 7 is an L-shape projection 8 whichtakes over the flange 1 whereby the carrier is connected to themembers 1. Depending from the plate 5 at each side thereof andexteriorly of the members 1 is an extension 9 provided with an openingthrough which projects a longitudinally extending screw-threadedtensioning bolt 10.

The mold comprises a pair of end walls 11, 12, and a pair of side walls13, 14, the carrier A being attached to the end wall 12 in any suitablemanner and the carrier B is attached to the end wall 11. The shape ofthe end walls 11, 12, is illustrated by way of example, as these wallscan be of any suitable shape depending upon the contour of the innerface of the sections of the block or whether it be desired to moldcorner blocks. As shown, the end walls are reversed with respect to eachother and the end wall 11 consists of an outer angleshaped portion 13,an inner angle-shaped portion 14:, a transversely extending portion 15of compound curvature which terminates in the angle-shaped portion 1 1,and a straight transversely extending portion 16 which terminates in theportlon of compound curvature and the angle-shaped portion 13. Thelongitudinally extending leg of the angle-shaped portion 13 is ofgreater length than the longitudinally extending leg I of theangle-shaped portion 14. The horizontally extending leg of theangle-shaped portion 13 and of the angle-shaped portion 14 projects fromeach side of the plate 5 and each has secured to its inner face at itsouter end an angle iron 17 through the medium of a holdfast device 18.The end wall 12 consists of an inner angle-shaped portion 19, an outerangle-shaped portion 20, a transversely extending portion 21 of compoundcurvature which at one end terminates in the longitudinally extendingleg of the angle-shaped portion 20 and at its other end terminates in astraight transversely extending portion 22, the latter terminating inthe longitudinally extending leg of the angle-shaped portion 19. Thelongitudinal leg of the angle-shaped portion 20 is of less length thanthe longitudinally extending leg of the angle-shaped portion 19. Thehorizontally extending legs of the angle-shaped portions 19 and 20project be yond the sides of the plate 5 and to the inner face of eachof said horizontally extending legs is secured an angle iron 23 throughthe medium of the hold fast device 24. The transversely exending portion16 of the end wall 11 as well as the transversely extending portion 22of the end wall 12 is provided with a tongue 26 and each of the saidportions 16 and 22 and its respective tongue 26 is cut away as at 27 toprovide an opening for the reception of a continuous anchor ,28 which isrectangular in contour. Each of the transversely-extending portions 16and 22 as well as its respective tongue is cut away at 29 to provide anopening for the reception of an anchor 30, which when the block ismolded, is positioned below the anchor 23. The anchor 30 is continuousand rectangular in contour. The side walls 13, 14, of the mold arehinged to the members 1 through the medium of the rods 31 which areconnected to the laterally extending apertured lugs 32 formed integralwith the members 1 and extend through the lower projecting aperturedportions 32 of the vertical ribs 33 which are formed integral with theperiphery of the side walls 13, 14. These latter are furthermoreprovided with longitudinally extending reinforcing ribs 34. Then themold is closed, the side walls 13 and 14 are retained in a verticalposition through the medium of the angle irons 17 of the end wall 11 andthe angle irons 23 of the end wall 12, the

i said angle irons engaging the periphery of the side walls 13, 14, nearthe top thereof and as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Adapted to extend within the mold is a reciprocatory core referred togenerally by the reference character C and which in connection with theend walls forms the inner face of the block sections. The said core Ccomprises a pair of longitudinally extending portions 35, 36, the formerat one end terminating in a transversely extending portion 37 ofcompound curvature which merges into a st 'aight transversely extendingportion 38, the latter terminating in one end of the lon gitudinallyextending portion 36. The longitudinally extending portion 35 alsomerges into a transversely extending straight portion 39 whichterminates in a transversely extending portion 40 of compound curvature,the latter merging in said longitudinally extending portion 36. Thetrans versely extending curvilinear portion 3? of the core opposes thetransversely extending portion 15 of the wall 11, the transverselyextending curvilinear portion 40 of the core opposes the transverselyextending portion 21 of the wall 12. Each of the transversely extendingportions 38, 39, of the ('ore is provided with a vertically extendinggroove 41 for the reception of a tongue 26, the portion 38 of the coreopposes the portion 16 of the end wall 11, in fact the portion 38 abutsagainst the portion 16 when the core is in position and the portion 39of the core also abuts against the portion 22 of the wall 12 when thecore is in position.

Arranged within and connected to the core C is a vertically extendingyoke 42 having depending therefrom a rack bar 42 which is interposedbetween the abutment 13 and the toothed segment 44, the segment 44having its teeth engaging with the teeth of the rack bar and by such anarrangen'ient, it is evident that when the segment is shifted in onedirection, the core will be ele ated to a position within the mold andthat when the segment is operated in the opposite direction, the corewill be lowered. The segment 44 is mounted upon the transverselyexending shaft journaled in the hangers 46 which depend from themembers 1. The shaft 45 is of a length as to project from each of thehangers 46 and carries on one projecting end a grooved pulley 47 and onits other projecting end a grooved pulley 48. That projecting end of theshaft 45 which carries the grooved pulley 43 has fixed thereto ashifting lever 49 having a handle 50, a pivoted latch arm 51, to thelower end of which is connected an inwardly extending latch 52, thelatch extending through the lever 49 and beingadapted when in normalposition, that is to say, when the mold is closed, to engage one of theribs 33 to arrest the shifting movement of the lever in one direction,if an attempt should be made to open the mold. The length of the latchis such that to shift the lever 49 to open the mold, it will necessitatethe rocking of the arm 51 on its pivot so as to withdraw the latch 52 toclear the lower portion of the rib 33 as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

The shifting of the lever downwardly through the medium of the segment44 and rack 42 lowers the core, also actuates a duplex shiftingmechanism to move the carriers A, B, outwardly carrying the end wallstherewith and opens the mold. Two duplex shifting mechanisms areemployed, one at each side of the machine. The grooved pulley 47 formsan element of the duplex shifting mechanism at the rear side of themachine and the grooved pulley 48 forms an element of the shiftingmechanism at the front of the machine. As each duplex mechanism issimilar in construction, but one will be described, the description ofone applying to the other. Each of said duplex shifting mechanisms forthe carriers consists of a pair of cables 53, 54 for shifting thecarriers outwardly and a pair of cables 55, 56, for shifting thecarriers inwardly. One end of each of the cables 53, 54, is connected toa bolt 10 as at 57 and the other ends of the cables 53, 54 are connectedto a grooved pulley. One end of each of the cables 55, 56, is attachedto a bolt 10 as at 58 and the other end of the cables 55, 56, areattached to a grooved pulley. The bolts 10 are adapted to tension theflexible members. The cable 53 travels over a pulley 59, the cable 54over a pulley 60, the cable 55 over a pulley 61 and the cable 56 over apulley 62. The pulleys 59 to G2 are suitably supported upon thelongitudinal members 1. The reference character 63 denotes a removablepallet which constitutes the bottom of the mold. and which is supportedupon the members 1. The pallet is formed with an opening 64 for thepassage of the core C.

It is thought that the operation of molding the block will be thoroughlyunderstood from the foregoing description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings but it will. be assumed that the core O and endwalls 11 and 12 are in the position as shown in Fig. 4, under suchconditions the lever 49 will be in its lowermost position. The lever 49is then shifted in an upward direction which causes the end Walls tomove toward each other and which also imparts a vertical movement to thecar. This operation is continued until the closing of the mold iscompleted and the core raised to its highest position. During theclosing of the mold, the lower anchor is held manually in properposition and the mold closed upon it. After the mold has been completelyclosed, a portion of the material from which the block is to be formedis placed in the mold below and above the lower anchor. More material isplaced in the mold, the upper anchor is then positioned, and then theremaining portion of the material from which the block is formed added.After the block has been formed and it is desired to remove it from themold, the lever 49 is moved downwardly which rocks the shaft 45, thelatter carrying the segment44 therewith and owing to the engagement ofthe latter with the rack 52, the core is lowered. Simultaneously withthe lowering of the core O, the cables 53, 54, of each duplex shiftingmechanism winds upon the grooved pulleys 47, 48 and moves the carriersA, B, outwardly which carry the end walls 11, 12 therewith. The movingoutwardly of the end walls releases the side walls which can be droppeddown and the pallet 63 with the block thereon removed. Owing to theshape of the end walls with respect to the core, the block is formedwith two sections with a continuous air space therebetween and owing tothe positioning of the anchors, the two inner faces of the block areconnected together near their ends instead of at the middle.

Now, it will be assumed that it is desired to mold another block, theside walls are elevated, the lever shifted in the opposite direction andthe carriers A, B, will then be moved inwardly through the medium of thecables 55, 56 as said cables will Wind upon the grooved pulleys 47, 48.During the shifting of the lever 49 upwardly, the core will be movedinto the mold. Prior to the closing of the mold the pallet is placed inposition.

What I claim is:

1. A sectional block molding machine comprising a base, a mold embodyinginwardly extending side walls hingedto each side of the base, inwardlyextending end walls slidably mounted upon the base and a bottom fixed tothe base, said bottom provided with an opening, a vertically movablehollow eore adapted to extend through said opening and into said mold,said end walls and core provided with means for supporting anchors forcoupling the sections of the block together, a pair of 1011- gitudinallyshiftable carriers straddling the base and fixed to the end walls, ayoke secured within said core, a vertically disposed rack depending fromsaid yoke, an oscillatory shaft arranged below said base, meansdepending from the base for support ing the shaft, a toothed segmentmounted upon the shaft and engaging the rack for shifting it whereby thecore is moved to and from the mold, a lever connected to one end of theshaft for operating it, a pulley mounted on each end of the shaft, idlerpulleys supported at each side of the base, two sets of flexibleconnections, each set traveling over the idler pulleys at one side ofthe base and connected to a pulley upon one end of the shaft, and a pairof tensioning devices interposed in each set of flexible con nectionsand connected to the carriers.

2. A sectional block molding machine comprising a base, a mold mountedthereon and embodying hinged side Walls, longitudinally-shiftable endwalls and a bottom, a vertically movable core adapted to extend in themold and cooperate with the walls of the mold to form the blocksections, said end walls and core provided with means for supportinganchors for coupling the block sec tions together, a pair oflongitudinallyshiftable carriers mounted upon the base and fixed to theend walls, a vertically disposed rack depending from the core, anoscillatory shaft suspended from the base, a toothed segment carried bythe shaft and engaging the rack for shifting it whereby the core ismoved to and from the mold, a lever connected to the shaft for operatingit, a pulley mounted on each end of the shaft,

the other side of the base and each set 20 traveling over the idlerpulleys at one side of the base and connected to a pulley upon one endof the shaft, and a pair of tensioning devices interposed in each set offlexible connections and connected to the carriers.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOSEPH V. BRAGSTAD.

Vitnesses P. A. Ovnnsn'rn, E. M. DEAN.

